An introduction to technetium in the gaseous diffusion cascades

Abstract

The radioisotope technetium-99 ({sup 99}Tc) was introduced into the gaseous diffusion plants (GDP) as a contaminant in uranium that had been reprocessed from spent nuclear reactor fuel. {sup 99}Tc is a product of the nuclear fission of uranium-235 ({sup 235}U). The significantly higher emitted radioactivity of {sup 99}Tc generates concern in the enrichment complex and warrants increased attention (1) to the control of all site emissions, (2) to worker exposures and contamination control when process equipment requires disassembly and decontamination, and (3) to product purity when the enriched uranium hexafluoride (UF{sub 6}) product is marketed to the private sector. A total of 101,268 metric tons of RU ({approximately}96% of the total) was fed at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) between FY1953 and FY1976. An additional 5600 metric tons of RU from the government reactors were fed at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP), plus an approximate 500 tons of foreign reactor returns. Only a small amount of RU was fed directly at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS). The slightly enriched PGDP product was then fed to either the ORGDP or PORTS cascades for final enrichment. Bailey estimated in 1988 that of the 606 kg of Tc received at PGDP from RU, 121 kg was subsequently re-fed to ORGDP and 85 kg re-fed to PORTS.